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tamingthemuseTitle: Reading a Book
Fandom: Original/ Exalted
Prompt: Your prison is walking through this world all alone
Warnings: My own head cannon for an Exalted game, played many years ago.
Rating: G
Summary: Nolyn just want’s to sit and read, but gods keep interrupting him.
Nolyn had found an old tree trunk to sit upon. The tree had been cut down ages ago, and the stump had been left to rot as it would. It was hollow and short, just the right size to place a blanket down and perch upon with a light snack.
And so Nolyn did. He sat with a book settled on his knees, and a sweet treat bought from one of the sellers near the dock. The wind was cool as it blew in off the ocean, scented with the temple’s incense and fish. His eyes never left the book as he nibbled on the treat.
The tree’s god, ill and weak, peered up at Nolyn from under the blanket, watching him with eyes made of wood. After a moment, Nolyn turned to the frail god with a smile.
“They’ve forgotten you, hum?”
The god quickly moved out from under the blanket and grew in size. Starting at the size of a small rodent, the god quickly came to stand at a height with Nolyn.
“I was once magnificent.”
Nolyn hummed in agreement. “I’m sure you were.”
The god nodded. “I towered over the inlet, here. I housed hundreds of squirrels and birds. I lived longer than human’s have memories.”
Nolyn turned to look at the blue blue of the ocean. “They honored you.”
“Once. Then they forgot who I was. They tried to kill me. I lived through the fire and I re-grew and once again towered over humans like one of their kings.”
“They cut you down.”
“They hurt me and weakened me.” The brown bark of the god’s eyes turned green with passion. “You can get revenge for me. Make them remember me and honor me once again.”
Nolyn finished his treat and wiped his hands on the blanket. “That’s not my place.”
The green grew brighter with anger. “It is. You must obey.”
Nolyn smiled and let the wind once again touch his face with it’s gentile caress. “Heaven orders me, not you.”
“Am I not a god? I may be homeless, but I’m still a god.”
Nolyn slanted the tree god a look out the corner of his eye. “I’ll not punish them, or get revenge for you. I’ll do you one better.”
The god made a noise in the back of its throat. “Having those that cut me down punished would be best.”
Nolyn shook his head with a smile. “The humans on this island no longer worship the earth gods. It’s the air gods that hold sway to men who sail. It’s the water gods that hold sway with men who fish.”
“They have forgotten me.”
“They have moved on, but they have taken you with them.” Nolyn stood, his skirts swirling around his ankles as he stepped forward to point to the docks where a massive ship weighed anchor. “That ship. You have given life to that ship. It’s very mast is made out of you.”
The god stared hard at the ship, watched as men climbed up the mast and busied themselves with the sails.
“They have moved away from the island, and taken you with them. You are no longer bound here, far away from the heart of human interaction. Now you’re the heart.”
The god watched and slowly smiled. It wilted once again, this time turning into a small child, eager and happy.
“They’ll remember me?”
“They do.”
“They’ll never leave me?”
“You’ll be their center. Their god of the ship.”
Leaves bloomed around the god’s body as it made a mad dash down toward the docks, towards its future.
Nolyn resumed his seat and picked up the forgotten book. He flipped through the pages and settled with a final glance at the god returning home.
“Would that I could,” he murmured to himself.
Suddenly, Harashi was there with him, seating himself beside Nolyn. “You could have a home wherever you wanted it, Nolyn.”
Nolyn shook his head. “It’s too dangerous a life I lead. I wouldn’t put anybody into that.”
“You almost did.”
Nolyn’s eyes slid closed as he remembered bright green eyes and hair so dark a green it was near black. A beautiful smile formed on glossy lips. “And look what happened.”
“They were killed by someone else who had it in for you, so you punish yourself? Your prison is walking through this world alone.”
“I won’t have anybody else I love die for me.”
Harashi frowned at his dear friend. “You shouldn’t feel like that. Although you’re not human, you are human enough to need human affection.”
Nolyn shook his head. “I’ll not allow it. I lost my family because of what I am, I’ll not lose another one.” Then his eyes turned to Harashi. “Or you, to your own stupidity.”
Affronted, Harashi stood. “I am the most powerful god on this island, you saw to that. You dare insult me?” The wind picked up, whipping their hair wildly.
Nolyn snorted. “You don’t intimidate me, dragon. I remember when you were potty training.”
Harashi would have paled, had gods had the ability to pale. He gaped at Nolyn a long moment then gave an unsure laugh. The wind died with his bluff of anger. “You wouldn’t?”
Nolyn held the book up to his nose. “Try me.”
Fandom: Original/ Exalted
Prompt: Your prison is walking through this world all alone
Warnings: My own head cannon for an Exalted game, played many years ago.
Rating: G
Summary: Nolyn just want’s to sit and read, but gods keep interrupting him.
Nolyn had found an old tree trunk to sit upon. The tree had been cut down ages ago, and the stump had been left to rot as it would. It was hollow and short, just the right size to place a blanket down and perch upon with a light snack.
And so Nolyn did. He sat with a book settled on his knees, and a sweet treat bought from one of the sellers near the dock. The wind was cool as it blew in off the ocean, scented with the temple’s incense and fish. His eyes never left the book as he nibbled on the treat.
The tree’s god, ill and weak, peered up at Nolyn from under the blanket, watching him with eyes made of wood. After a moment, Nolyn turned to the frail god with a smile.
“They’ve forgotten you, hum?”
The god quickly moved out from under the blanket and grew in size. Starting at the size of a small rodent, the god quickly came to stand at a height with Nolyn.
“I was once magnificent.”
Nolyn hummed in agreement. “I’m sure you were.”
The god nodded. “I towered over the inlet, here. I housed hundreds of squirrels and birds. I lived longer than human’s have memories.”
Nolyn turned to look at the blue blue of the ocean. “They honored you.”
“Once. Then they forgot who I was. They tried to kill me. I lived through the fire and I re-grew and once again towered over humans like one of their kings.”
“They cut you down.”
“They hurt me and weakened me.” The brown bark of the god’s eyes turned green with passion. “You can get revenge for me. Make them remember me and honor me once again.”
Nolyn finished his treat and wiped his hands on the blanket. “That’s not my place.”
The green grew brighter with anger. “It is. You must obey.”
Nolyn smiled and let the wind once again touch his face with it’s gentile caress. “Heaven orders me, not you.”
“Am I not a god? I may be homeless, but I’m still a god.”
Nolyn slanted the tree god a look out the corner of his eye. “I’ll not punish them, or get revenge for you. I’ll do you one better.”
The god made a noise in the back of its throat. “Having those that cut me down punished would be best.”
Nolyn shook his head with a smile. “The humans on this island no longer worship the earth gods. It’s the air gods that hold sway to men who sail. It’s the water gods that hold sway with men who fish.”
“They have forgotten me.”
“They have moved on, but they have taken you with them.” Nolyn stood, his skirts swirling around his ankles as he stepped forward to point to the docks where a massive ship weighed anchor. “That ship. You have given life to that ship. It’s very mast is made out of you.”
The god stared hard at the ship, watched as men climbed up the mast and busied themselves with the sails.
“They have moved away from the island, and taken you with them. You are no longer bound here, far away from the heart of human interaction. Now you’re the heart.”
The god watched and slowly smiled. It wilted once again, this time turning into a small child, eager and happy.
“They’ll remember me?”
“They do.”
“They’ll never leave me?”
“You’ll be their center. Their god of the ship.”
Leaves bloomed around the god’s body as it made a mad dash down toward the docks, towards its future.
Nolyn resumed his seat and picked up the forgotten book. He flipped through the pages and settled with a final glance at the god returning home.
“Would that I could,” he murmured to himself.
Suddenly, Harashi was there with him, seating himself beside Nolyn. “You could have a home wherever you wanted it, Nolyn.”
Nolyn shook his head. “It’s too dangerous a life I lead. I wouldn’t put anybody into that.”
“You almost did.”
Nolyn’s eyes slid closed as he remembered bright green eyes and hair so dark a green it was near black. A beautiful smile formed on glossy lips. “And look what happened.”
“They were killed by someone else who had it in for you, so you punish yourself? Your prison is walking through this world alone.”
“I won’t have anybody else I love die for me.”
Harashi frowned at his dear friend. “You shouldn’t feel like that. Although you’re not human, you are human enough to need human affection.”
Nolyn shook his head. “I’ll not allow it. I lost my family because of what I am, I’ll not lose another one.” Then his eyes turned to Harashi. “Or you, to your own stupidity.”
Affronted, Harashi stood. “I am the most powerful god on this island, you saw to that. You dare insult me?” The wind picked up, whipping their hair wildly.
Nolyn snorted. “You don’t intimidate me, dragon. I remember when you were potty training.”
Harashi would have paled, had gods had the ability to pale. He gaped at Nolyn a long moment then gave an unsure laugh. The wind died with his bluff of anger. “You wouldn’t?”
Nolyn held the book up to his nose. “Try me.”
